Light for foot apparel



Dec. 4, 1962 E. o. SALA 3,067,322

LIGHT FOR FOOT APPAREL Filed Dec. 29, 1960 INVENTOR. ERRETT o. .SALA

BY M ,M,-

United States Patent Ofifice 3,957,322 Patented Dec. 4, 1962 3,667,322 LIGHT FUR F001 APPAREL Errett O. Sala, 129 Fay Ave, Avon Lake, Ohio Filed Dec. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 79,194 2 Claims. (Cl. Mil-6.4)

The present invention relates generally to lights for foot apparel and more particularly to such lights for bedroom slippers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a light or lights for foot apparel such as bedroom slippers which will be turned on when ones foot is placed in the slipper and which will be automatically turned off when the foot is removed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighting assembly for use with slippers which will enable one to see when walking in the dark.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting assembly for use with foot apparel which may be quickly and conveniently attached to and removed from the foot apparel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting assembly for use on the tongue or instep area of foot apparel with switch means which turns the light on by engagement with a persons instep and which is turned oil when the persons instep is out of engagement with the switch means.

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the lighting assembly of the present invention as used with a pair of slippers;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the lighting assembly shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 1 best shows the overall combination of the lighting assembly 20 as used with foot apparel, more specifically a slipper 22 and a persons foot 23 has been shown as positioned in the slipper 22. As discussed hereinabove the lighting assembly is detachably connected to the slipper and the lighting assembly is of such construction that when ones foot 23 is placed in the slipper the light is turned on and when ones foot is removed from the slipper the light automatically goes out. The mechanical details of construction which accomplish the results hereinbefore set forth will now be described in detail.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the lighting assembly shown in FIGURE 1 and as shown includes in combination a case 26 having a first and second end portion 27 and 23 respectively. A light or bulb housing 30 is threadably secured to the first end portion 27 of the case by threads 31 and a light bulb 33 is threadably secured to the housing 30 by means of threads 37.

The second end portion 23 of the case 26 is provided with an axial opening and into this axial opening is fitted a fiber or insulating grommet 40. It will be noted from FiGURE 2 that the left end of the grommet 4% is enlarged and resides inside the case 26 and the right end extends through the opening and to the exterior of the case. Positioned within the grommet 40 is a metal rivet 41 which also extends through the same opening as does the grommet and has an enlarged end on both the inside and outside of the case in order to hold the hereinafter described assembly together. Positioned between the left end of the rivet 41 and the enlarged portion of the grommet 40 is one end of a pusher spring 42 which for the sake of example is made of a phosphorus bronze material. The pusher spring has anextension 43 thereon which will be described hereinafter. A holding clip 4'5 is provided and has an opening therein which surrounds the grommet 40 on the outside of the case at the place where the grommet extends from the case. It will be noted that the holding clip 45 is in engagement with the case 26. The holding clip 45 has a portion 46 which extends in generally the same direction as does the outside of the case 26 and is for the purpose of attaching the lighting assembly to the tongue or instep area of the slipper. Located adjacent the holding clip is an insulating fiber spacer 48 which serves to space the first end portion 51 of a resilient switch member 50 from the holding clip 45. A metal washer 55 is positioned against one side of the first end portion 51 of the resilient switch member and on the other side engages the right end of the rivet 41 and this serves to mount this portion of the assembly to the right end of the case 26. It will be noted that a second end portion 52 of the resilient switch member in FiGURE 2 is spaced from and extends generally around a portion of the holding clip 45. Tape 57 is placed on one surface of the resilient switch member which is to be in engagement with a persons instep in order to more or less cushion the metal from the instep.

A battery 69 is located within the case 26 and is electrically connected as at 62 to the light bulb 33 and is electrically connected as at 63 to the extension 43 of the pusher spring 42.

The electrical circuit is substantially as follows, name- 1y, from the battery to the electrical connection 62 through the light bulb filament and to the case 26 by way of the bulb housing '3 and from the case 26 to the holding clip 45. The electrical circuit from the other end of the battery 6% is from the electrical connection 63, through the pusher spring 42, the rivet 41 and into the resilient switch member 59. It will be noted for example in FIGURE 2 that the resilient switch member 56} is spaced from the holding clip 45 and as a result the electrical circuit is open and the light bulb 33 is not energized. When the resilient switch member is moved into contact with the holding clip as in its dot-dash position 66 the electrical circuit is closed and the light bulb 33 is energized.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention the lighting assembly 26 is attached to the tongue or instep of foot apparel such as the slipper 22 by the holding clip 45 and as shown in FIGURE 1. In other words the portion 46 of the holding clip is located on the inside of the tongue or instep area and the case which carries the light bulb is located on the outside of this area as shown. When the wearers foot is not in the slipper the resilient switch member is located in the full line position shown in FIGURE 2 and the electrical circuit is open and as a result the light bulb is not energize-d. When the wearer places his foot in the slipper the resilient switch member moves to the dot-dash position 66 and the electrical circuit is closed and the light bulb is energized.

It will thus be seen that the objects which were stated hereinbefore relating to the present invention have been carried out in as much as a lighting assembly for foot apparel has been provided which is conveniently and quickly turned on by merely placing ones foot in the slipper and which is automatically turned off when ones foot is removed. With this assembly when the apparel is worn in the darkness the floor area immediately ahead of the foot is illuminated which without further statement is a matter of considerable safety. It will also be appreciated that the lighting assembly can be quickly and conveniently removed from the slipper with the use of the holding clip 45.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A flashlight assembly for use in the tongue area of a bedroom slipper including in combination a case having first and second end portions, a battery positioned in said case, an electric light located in series with said battery, one end portion of said battery being electrically connected to said case, wall means defining an axial opening in said second end portion of said case, a rivet memher having first and second enlarged ends and extending through said axial opening, an insulating grommet extending through said axial opening and insulating said rivet from said case, a spring contact secured between said first end of said rivet and said insulating grommet on the inside of said case, a holding clip having an end portion surrounding said insulating grommet and engaging the outside of said case, an insulating spacer surrounding said rivet and engaging said end portion of said holding clip, a resilient switch member having a first and second end portion, said first end portion surrounding said rivet and engaging said insulating spacer, said second end portion of said rivet along with said first end portion holding said recited elements together therebetween, said holding clip having another end portion extending along the exterior of said case which is adapted to secure said case to the exterior of the tongue area of the bedroom slipper, the other end portion of said battery engaging said spring contact thereby electrically connecting said first end portion of said resilient switch member to the other end portion of said battery, said second end portion of said resilient switch member being located adjacent said other end portion of said holding clip and in position to be urged into contact therewith when a persons foot is placed in the slipper to complete the electrical circuit and energize said electric light, removal of the persons foot from the bedroom slipper permitting said second end portion of said resilient switch member to move away from said other end portion of 4;. said holding clip to break said electrical circuit and deenergize said electric light.

2. A flashlight assembly for use in the tongue area of footwear including in combination a case having first and second end portions, a battery positioned in said case, an electric light located in series with said battery, one end portion of said battery being electrically connected to said case, wall means defining an opening in said second end portion of said case, a support member having first and second end portions and extending through said opening in said second end portion of said case, insulation means insulating said support member from said case, a spring contact secured to said first end portion of said support member on the inside of said case, a holding clip secured to said second end portion of said support member on the outside of said case and being electrically connected to said case, a resilient switch member having a first and second end portion, said first end portion of said switch member being electrically connected to said second end portion of said support member, said holding clip having another end portion extending along the exterior of said case which is adapted to secure said case to the exterior of the tongue area of footwear, the other end portion of said battery engaging said spring contact thereby electrically connecting said first end portion of said resilient switch member to the other end portion of said battery, said second end portion of said resilient switch member being located adjacent said holding clip and in position to be urged into contact therewith when a persons foot is placed in the footwear to complete the electrical circuit and energize said electric light, removal of the persons foot from the footwear permitting said second end portion of said resilient switch member to move away from said other end portion of said holding clip to break said electrical circuit and de-energize said electric light.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,632,093 Merolis Mar. 17, 1953 2,671,847 Lerch Mar. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 53,298 France Jan. 15, 1945 

